The Odisha Building and Other Construction Worker’s Welfare Board (OB&OCWW) was constituted to regulate the employment and service condition of building and other construction workers and to provide them safety, health and welfare measures. e-Shramik project aims to facilitate the construction workers to get various benefits, to collect online cess and subsequently provide various welfare measures online.

The OB & OCWW Cess Act was enacted to provide levy and collection of cess on the cost of construction with a view to augment the resources required in extending welfare benefits to the workers. The basic purpose of the project is to facilitate the construction workers in getting various benefits, to collect online cess and subsequently provide various welfare measures online. Payment Gateway and SMS alert system is facilitated through the portal - www.bocboard.labdirodisha.gov.in. The web enabled application is developed with the multiple features.

REGISTRATION OF BENEFICIARIES Application Form with Enclosure The module facilitates online registration of construction workers after depositing twenty rupees. The registering officer provides digitally signed employment certificate, money receipt and an ID card to the worker, post registration. An SMS is sent to the mobile number after registration. The following modules are available in the system -

yyNomination form: The applicant has to furnish details in Nomination Form – XXXI.

yySelf Declaration Certificate: The applicant has to furnish a Self Declaration Certificate declaring that he has not been enrolled as a member of any other Board of Cvonstruction. yyInformation for enrolment as a beneficiary under RSBY scheme: The applicant is required to furnish all information on a sheet in prescribed format.

yyCollection of registration fee: After filing XXVII form through the system, a computer generated money receipt is provided to the worker.

yyCollection of Annual Subscription: Each registered beneficiary has to pay R 50/- per year and subsequently provided with a computer generated money receipt. SMS alerts are sent to those members who have not renewed their annual subscription in time.

ADDED BENEFITS yyBenefits approved and implemented Various benefits are provided online through this system i.e. assistance in case of accident, death benefit, medical expenses for treatment of major ailments, education assistance, assistance for purchase of working tools, funeral expenses, marriage assistance, maternity benefits, assistance for purchase of bi-cycle and other benefits.

Registration of Establishment Any company with 10 or more workers has to register through the system. The details of the company are also captured. After successful registration a confirmation message is sent on the mobile.

Grant of Certificate of Registration After successful registration, a digitized certificate is issued to the company.

Collection and Deposition of Cess Each construction agency either government or private has to deposit 1% cess to the government. The system facilitates deposition through online channel or at the counter of the District Labour Office.

The other modules in the system are assessment of cess, levy of cess, time and manner of collection, certificate case, inspection and prosecution etc.

CHALLENGES FACED Low penetration of ICT and lack of good internet connectivity at remote places is a big challenge. Labourers are generally illiterate or semi literate and educating them for using ICT, co-ordinating and educating trade unions were other major challenges.

PROPOSED SYSTEM Government of India is implementing smart cards for construction and unorganised sector workers. After implementation, the system can be integrated with the smart card based system so that there will be a common platform for all.

Other benefits which are planned to be integrated with the system are as follows: yyPension as per National Pension Scheme yyLoans and advances for construction of house yyFinancial Assistance for skill up-gradation yyConstruction of rest sheds, death benefits

The application is also designed for integration with Rashtriya Swasth Bima Yojana (RSBY) database so that any labourers getting medical benefit from this system and also through RSBY can be eliminated.

TECHNOLOGY USED yyOpen Source Technology: JAVA, HTML, CSS, Jquery & Ajax yyRDBMS: Postgre SQL, EnterpriseDB yyWeb Server: JBOSS

Online Payment Gateway is facilitated through credit/debit card and net banking for collection of cess and disbursement of assistance to labourers i.e. cycle advance, medical advance etc.

For further information: Dr. R. N. BEHERA Senior Technical Director E-mail: rnbehera@nic.in